Kept Loving You
by kpaddict
Summary: Zac and Vanessa have broken up because of problems with their families, and Vanessa has no choice but to leave her true love. But Zac won't give up, and when he finally can't stand being apart from her, he sends her twenty one letters...
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! I'm new here, and this is a story I'm working on with my best friend. She supplies endless ideas, and I do most of the writing. I hope you all have time to check it out- it would mean so much to us! **

**This story takes place post-break up this year. We don't have much information on their lives nowadays, so we won't put that much of premiers and such. But what we put in here is everyday life, and we wish it to be true to their situation and their personalities! **

**A short blurb: Vanessa and Zac never _meant _to break up. It was all because of their families- after a big fight, the two families have strongly discouraged the two from meeting each other. They even went out of their way to keep the two apart. Vanessa is sad, though she listens to her family instead of her heart. Zac, however, has never given up his love, and refuses to do so. Vanessa is dating someone, long term, though. Zac is scared that if he doesn't save the relationship soon, they will get engaged. He urges Vanessa to listen to her heart, but Vanessa wants no more fighting, and heartbreak.**

**Twenty one letters is what happens... will Zac be able to save their relationship with his written words and his love? **

**Please review if you liked it- it would mean so much to me! **

**KTZLF! 3**

* * *

2014 July...

Vanessa

Austin held Vanessa by the hips as they engaged in a liplock. The doorbell rang, interrupting the two.

"Better get it," Austin muttered, untangling their arms.

"Mmm-mm… I'll go." Vanessa replied, pushing her hair back and walking out of the kitchen, into the doorway.

"Miss Vanessa Hudgens?" The mailman waited with a brown cardboard box by his feet. "I've got a package here for you, and I need you to sign here." With a curious glance at the box, she picked up the pen and signed her name with a flourish.

"That will be all, ma'am. Thank you." The mailman presented her with the box. After a quick exchange of thanks, she edged the door shut with her foot, carrying the box. Vanessa Hudgens was scrawled as the recipient's name, and Nessa's heart caught in her throat. She'd recognize the handwriting of Zachary Efron anywhere.

"Who was it, baby?" Austin asked upon her rearrival.

"Package." She said simply, setting it on the table. She had to calm her beating heart before she dared venture closer to her current boyfriend.

"From whom?" He nosed closer to the box for a peek. "It doesn't say, Ness. Is it safe?" She quickly ran a hand through his hair, making him returning his attention to the girl he so loved.

"It's nothing. From Zac." She muttered to him, then quickly leaned in to kiss her boyfriend before he could say anymore. Still, she could sense his body stiffening at the mention of Vanessa's ex-boyfriend.

"It's probably just some of my stuff lying around," she reassured, and the boy she was clinging tightly to relaxed against her body, and pushed her closer for another kiss.

"I love you," She whispered, between kisses. But when she heard a 'love you too' in return, she couldn't be sure if the exchange between the two of them were completely sincere from one of them- herself...

KTZLF*True love always finds its way.

Austin had a meeting, so it was just Vanessa and her empty house. Then she remembered the package. She pushed herself off the bed and retrieved the box, expecting to find something of her possession. Clothes, perhaps. She didn't expect at all what she saw.

"He sent me… a superlarge business envelope, and… … rocks?" She muttered aloud. In her confusion, she flipped the envelope over. Open when you're alone, it said. Seeing Zac's handwriting sent a pang through her. She debated on whether to wait for Austin- then tore the envelope open. About twenty envelopes slid out of that, and a letter.

'Nessa baby,

Sorry about the rocks, and the multiple envelopes. I kind of wanted to make sure Austin wouldn't be present when he sees this. And it needed to be heavy enough, so you wouldn't be suspicious.

I've missed you so much, my baby. I can't stand this anymore. I can't stand not talking to you, when you're so near me. And I need to know you're okay. I need to love you.

Agree to open the envelopes? When you need them?

Love you bby. Always.

Zac.'

Her hands flew to her mouth, and for a moment, she was dumbfounded. After a while, she reached for the phone, and dialed the all too familiar number. He picked up on the fourth ring.

"Nessa!" There was much obvious delight in his voice, but also a tiredness and nervousness.

"Zachary. David. Alexander. Efron. What. Are. You. Doing?!" She almost yelled into the phone, but she restrained herself. A little, at least.

"Oh," Zac sounded kind of disappointed, but Nessa could tell he was still happy she had chosen to dial and not ignore. Maybe she should have ignored him. "You got the package, I take it. Sorry?"

"Zac, we need to talk."

"We're talking."

"Zac!" She said, a bit aggressively.

"Sorry, sorry…" She could imagine him now, rubbing nervously at the back of his neck. "It's just… I love you." She could hear the whiny note edging into his voice. "I miss you." Sincerely. And with that, two sentences- sent Nessa spinning with a headache. Tears leaked out of her eyes. He knew her that well. He must have known this would be her reaction when he said those words…

"Zac look. I know that…" She whispered shakily. "I know that, but I have to move on… I can't…"

"Nessa, please." His voice took on its surprising gentleness, pleading with her.

"Zac… I can't- I can't love you again. You're making me love you, but I can't. I… I have to…"

"Why?" He pushed on, interrupting her.

"Austin and… and our families…" She kept going on shakily. He was asking her to choose- she realized. Choose between what was right and what both their families wanted them to do, and what she desperately craved for. Where her heart told her to go. No, she shook her head. I can't think about that… and my heart wants Austin. Only Austin.

"Is Austin just an excuse… a distraction?" He prompted, and Nessa could envision his blue eyes, so perfect and full of love, blinking at her. Pleading with her, for her to agree to the envelope thing. Whatever it contained, Nessa knew it couldn't be good for her relationship with her current boyfriend.

"I can't do this, Zac. I know- If I see you… If I hear from you… I know I'll fall in love again." And I can't, she added to herself.

"What's so bad about that?"

"I have a boyfriend."

"I'm your boyfriend."

"Was…" She whispered. "Past tense…" She felt the tears dripping down faster now. She thought of the boxes of their memories- bracelets and trinkets he'd given her, souvenirs, photos of them everywhere… They were all shut up in the closet with the winter coats now.

"I'm trying so hard to forget about you, Zac. I'm trying so hard. I've almost done it. I just need a little more time." She sucked in a breath, doing what her heart forbade her to. She almost heard it break. "It hurts."

"I know it hurts. It hurts for me too, baby." She could hear the pain clearly in Zac Efron's voice. "That's why… That's why I need you to love me again… that's why I need us." He paused.

"That's why I need you to love me again…" He repeated with a whisper. His barely audible words, as quiet as they were, reached the ears of his ex anyway. To Troy, though. Gabriella would always be his girlfriend.

"That's the problem, boo." Vanessa whispered into her cellphone. Thrill and shock shot through Zac's entire body. Boo. It was a nickname she reserved for her current boyfriend. A name Zac had not heard directed at him for almost four years.

"I think I've always loved you, Efron boy. Night." She confessed, then ended the conversation abruptly.

"Wait, Nessa, so will you-" He didn't get to finish.

"I said-" she growled.

"Okay." If Zac hadn't been holding the phone, he'd be holding both hands up in surrender, grin written on his face. "Goodnight, my love." Vanessa hung up, and with a moan of frustration, fell back onto the bed. Tears like marbles rolled over her cheeks, conjoined at her chin, and dropped onto her lap.

Zachary

Zac stared at the beeping phone for a small while, before ending the call himself. Hope tunneled through his veins- he'd had a stronger hold on his girlfriend than he ever thought.

She still loves me, the thought came to him, blurry through his excitement. She confessed, she still loves me. There's still hope. He grinned, hope written across his being, in every language.

Because what we have is real. The line crossed his mind- a song from so long ago- and his grin widened. He'd be singing Everyday with his love soon. He knew it.

Austin

Austin rested his head against Vanessa's bedroom door, deciding not to let her know he heard. He was about to go into the room, when he heard Vanessa call out the whole name of her ex, and waited. Something was up.

He knew, wishing he didn't, who she called. He had a good guess- even if not terribly accurate- of what was going on. He needed to get his girlfriend back, before she fell in love with Zac Efron all over again. It would be torture.

This led him to wonder if Vanessa Hudgens had ever loved him. Don't be silly, he scolded himself. Of course she does. She's confused, that's all. He's a hot, Hollywood hotshot. Of course she might get a bit carried away sometimes, but she's mine. Her heart belongs to me, and me alone.

That said, it made him feel a bit better when he tiptoed back to the doorway, let himself out, and sat down on the porch. He texted her.

Ness I'll be home appx 3 minutes. Her reply came fast.

K. love you xo Doubt shadowed his mind again at the sentenced, but he overrode it.

Vanessa

After replying to the text, the somewhat distraught young woman quickly jumped up from her bed, and shoved all but one envelope into the box, which she kicked into the closet along with her other Zanessa belongings that was too painful to look at. She slid the other one under her pillow.

Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out, thinking it was Austin. It was Zac.

If im right, ur reading 'open when i did something stupid' right now. Dammit. She thought, shaking her head. Zac knew her all too well, and that was exactly what she had pressed under the pillow.

She raced to the bathroom, so fast and footsteps so loud that she was sure Austin would have heard had he been outside. (Which he was, but he didn't hear.) She splashed some water on her face, careful not to get it on her clothes, and dried her tears. She put on a convincing smile.

Austin

Austin Butler waited 5 minutes before he let himself back in. When he did, he smiled and gave his Nessa an embrace, with a complimentary kiss on the cheek. He didn't mention the box.

Each were hiding things from the other, though perhaps Austin had an unfair advantage, having overheard Nessa's conversation. But he didn't know about the envelopes still hidden in her closet. After all, both were professional actors.


	2. Chapter 2

Vanessa

The first thing she did in the morning, was call Stella.

"Stellz? I need you over." She said as soon as her sister picked up.

"Now? Ness it's seven am. I was sleeping. Couldn't you at least wait for nine?" She groaned, and Vanessa could hear the creak the bed made as her sister stood up in the silence that followed. "Fine. I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Austin over there?" Vanessa heard more rustling, and rolled her eyes. It was obvious her sister was crushing on her boyfriend.

"Sure sis. Since when was he not?"

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe when you were on team Zac?" Stella asked innocently.

"Stellz!"

"Okay." Her sister stressed the word, and there was more clambering around. "But just for the record, I'm still on team Zac." She knew that Stella missed her ex- he was like a brother to Stella, and a son to the Hudgens parents. Was. Vanessa sighed and hung up, turning to give Austin a kiss on the cheek.

"Rise and shine baby," she said softly. He tossed and mumbled a few words, opening his eyes. His sleep tousled hair made Nessa want to run a hand through it. Something stopped her.

"Love you too," was Austin's reply as he got up from the bed... That was where Zac used to sleep. I still have his pillow in the closet. She thought, and immediately shook her head to clear the said thoughts. What was wrong with her? Barely 8 am and so much of Zac...

Stella pulled up in the driveway not soon after Vanessa had descended the steps to the first floor. Seeing her car, Vanessa jerked the door open, giving her sister a hug.

"Thanks for coming," she whispered quietly. Austin raised his eyebrows on the top of the landing, and waved to Stella. She peeked around Vanessa's shoulders, and gave him a wave back. Her face was flushed red.

"Stella," Nessa warned. "Need I remind you that you are not here to flirt with my boyfriend?" She caught her sister by the shoulderblades, and pushed her up the stairs. In her anxiety, she had forgotten to tell Austin her sister was coming over. Oh well, it was her place anyways. Austin attempted to follow the two.

"Baby, I need to talk to Stellz alone. It's between us." Nessa caught the raised eyebrow Austin made at her, and continued to push Stella up the stairs, choosing to pretend she didn't see.

"Wait, we don't even get breakfast? I'm starving; I came straight over!" Stella protested. With a sigh, Vanessa heated four pieces of pizza left over from the day before, and brought them upstairs to her bedroom. Stella climbed into the bed, and Nessa followed suit, but making sure the door was locked before she did so.

"Stellz, keep your voice down while we're talking, okay?" She asked a bit nervously, biting her lower lip, too anxious to eat anything. "I don't want Austin to know about this yet." Stella's eyes widened- there was almost nothing she didn't share with Austin.

"Are you freaking pregnant?" Stella gasped, with a touch of disappointment.

"No!" Nessa raised her voice a bit to inform her sister. "But," she tugged the box out of the closet. "I did get a surprise package from SOMEONE..." Again, Stella's eyes widened to the size of the moon.

"Zac! He's been- has he- when did-" a thousand questions tumbled out of the 18 year old's mouth- she was still a teenager. Vanessa quickly shushed her, and removed the envelopes and the letter from the box.

"What's this one? It's so bulky." She attempted to open the envelope, but was stopped by Vanessa.

"It says don't open." She warned.

"Why would he have sent it to you if he doesn't want you to open it?" Stella countered, but put the envelope down nevertheless.

"I want you to stay with me as I read this one." Gently, she picked the envelopes out of Stella's hands, and the letter, and replaced them inside the box.

"This is very sweet of him," Stella noted, and they snuggled under the covers although it was way too hot. Vanessa nodded, and pushed the box away with her feet. Silently, she pulled out the white envelope. Open when I did something stupid. Stella held back a laughing fit, and watched as her sister tore open the envelope, careful not to harm it. Anyone could see in these kind of moments, that Vanessa Anne Hudgens did indeed still love Zac very much. The problem was, though... They'd agreed to move on.

'Nessa dearest-

Whatever I did, I'm SO sorry. I know you're almost always right. I know I'm stupid, but that's why I need you. If you opened this because I sent you the package, then I know you too well, and you agreed to use the envelopes.

I want to let you know I'm really sorry. Most of the time I don't mean to. Remember when I accidentally sat on shit and you helped me clean up? That was stupid. Remember way back on the sets of HSM when I was fooling around and fell off the set? That was stupid too.

I'm a stupid man and maybe I'm stupid to keep loving you, but I'm stupid so you have to take care of me.

Promise? Pretty please?

I'm sorry. I really am. I mess everything up all the time, but I can't afford to lose you over this one. Because I don't believe I've lost you. I believe you're always mine.

Love you bby. Zac.'

Stella observed her sister for a while, and found that tears were forming, the corners of her eyes getting moist. She knew that Zac was who her sister needed. Zac was who her sister loved.

"I'm not being selfish when I say this, sis. I'm going to say what I think, and be perfectly honest with you about it." Nessa wiped the tears away, and nodded. "That boy," Stella began. "Is one of the ONLY people on earth I know of who can get to you like that. With simple, short, sweet sentences full of love. That boy waited for you for four years and you haven't gone back. He's still waiting. He still wants you back. And that boy," Stella ended softly "is the only boy you've ever truly loved. You are his true love, and he won't stop, ever." Stella smiles a bit.

"That boy is the boy that taught me love when I watched you and him in HSM. That... this couple, is the couple that made little girls, or 20 year old people believe in true love."

"You should see the Zanessa tag on tumblr." Stella pulled it up, and Vanessa hid herself under the covers.

"C'mon, Nessa. Just this one picture." Reluctantly, Nessa took the phone that her sister handed her. It was a photo, of Gabriella and Troy, dancing in the rain on the roof of east high. In times new roman, were the words 'When Zanessa broke up, I stopped believing in true love.'

She looked at Stella

"Really?" She asked a bit disbelievingly.

"Of course." Stella smiled at her sister, who sat herself right again. "So... I think you should go along with him. Find your true love back."

"What about mom and dad?" Vanessa was biting her lower lip again, worried.

"If you can keep it from Austin, you can definitely keep it from them." Vanessa shook her head.

"I meant, if we get back together-"

"See Nessa?" Stella had a point to make now. "You're already worrying about what to do when you get back together. That means you definitely love him, and is considering getting back together already, right?" Nessa half gasped. She's snagged herself in her own trap- Stella was right.

"Okay." She said with a resigned sigh. "I feel horrible though... I'm hiding this from Austin... And he... He never did anything wrong to me."

"Maybe he's just the wrong person, and he'll have to accept that." Whispered Stella, holding Nessa's hand.

"Oh and for the record, Stella..." Vanessa lifted a hand to wipe away the teardrops, smiling. "We've barely ever done it, Austin and I." Stella made a face, and Nessa laughed, loudly, happily.

"Too much information?" She teased. "Well, you were the one who asked me if I was pregnant." Stella laughed to this, and Vanessa stood, hiding everything back into the box and replacing the box into the closet. "Not a word to Austin." She reminded.

"Sure," her sister promised. Nessa then lifted a small trinket out of her drawers, and held it to Stella.

"Here, Stellz. Go make up a story about this being what Zac sent me to Austin, and it contained a few rather embarrassing childhood moments. Remember to flirt, or he will suspect something." Stella laughed.

"Already hiding things..." She teased. This should have infuriated Vanessa- made her curl up into a ball of guilt and not come out until forever, but it didn't. Just this once, she would let it slide. Just this once, she promised herself. Just this once.

Stella unlocked the door and left, and with a small click, the door swung shut again. V picked up her phone, and remembered the text Zac had sent her the previous night.

I totally didn't. She texted back with a smile. His reply came almost instantly.

Yes you did. i know u too well. what u up to babe? Ness rolled her eyes.

i did not… and you're annoying. u know i have a bf and u're not supposed to flirt w/ me.

stellz just txted me btw he mentioned casually.

oh? Vanessa raised her eyebrows. Stella was supposed to be covering for her! Plus, she just went out seconds ago- how-

she said ure totally not crying. with sarcasm. Zac grinned a little at this- his giddiness taking over.

im gonna kill her Nessa replied, rolling her eyes.

don't v. can i call u?

not now k

fine, he texted back. call me when u can.

Zachary

Perhaps he was quite certain himself that Vanessa would probably not call him back herself, but he didn't want to keep bugging her, nor did he want to catch her when Austin was around. He'd have to miss her for a day, but he hoped he could cope.

He drummed his fingers on his legs all through the morning- it was another day off for him, but he'd rather be at work. Filming. Photo shoots. Premieres. Whatever was good to keep his baby V out of his mind.

I'll text her before bed, he decided.

He remembered the elated feeling he'd felt, just a moment before, when he'd received texts from both Stella and Vanessa.

**flashback**

So zac Stella had texted him

hey there stella bella. hows v?

totally not crying over your dumb little letter Zac could practically hear Stellz laughing at this, and he could imagine his face was quite disoriented.

u what?! He hurried to reply, before he replied to V's text.

she asked me to read it with her, Stellz went on full defense, knowing well that Zac probably wouldn't have wanted her to know about this.

k fine... but no one knows gets wind. Frustrated yet slightly amused, he imagined Vanessa's face before him. He hated seeing her upset, but if they were back together, they'd never have to be upset anymore. If he crying now meant her heart was leaning towards himself... It would be worth it. Zac convinced himself.

just about to cover up for v... Aus was looking at me weird bc v pulled me into her room and hasnt come out

I know. Im texting her rn

U are?

The exchange between Zac and Stella went on for some time like this, centering mostly around V. He'd learned from Stellz that V was in a rocky part of the relationship with Austin at the moment- Austin was busy, so he didn't stay at Vanessa's as much. This created space between the two, and they weren't as close.

Not that they were really close anyway, Zac reflected. He had probably been right. Austin was as much of a distraction for Vanessa as he was for Zac. Zac knew that was only Nessa's way of telling him she loved him, but they couldn't be together anymore.

**end flashback**

Vanessa called him. Zac was in the middle of a nap when her ringtone- 'A Night to Remember' from HSM3 blared at top volume.

It wasn't Zac's favorite song, but it was certainly the one most likely to wake him up. He had put much thought into setting up his phone ringtones- he made sure that Vanessa's call reached him, even when his phone was on mute like it did now.

It took some work to figure out how to set the phone up like that, but he was able to in the end. Groggily, he reached for the phone on the bedside table.

"Hey baby," he said, his grin in his voice carried over to the other end. "I thought you'd never call."

"I thought I wouldn't too," she admitted playfully. "But then I thought- best not break his stupid heart."

"Aw really Van?" A grin played on Zac's lips.

"No, I hate you bye." She hung up after the sentence.

"Wait Vanessa Hudgens you-" all Zac heard was the beeping of the phone. He dialed her number. "Idiot," he finished as soon as she picked up.

"No I hate you remember?" Their playful bickering went on for a long while- and honest to god, Zac didn't see any way they weren't going to turn out alright.


End file.
